


My Best Friend

by Knowmefirst



Category: Original Work
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Original Character(s), Original Fiction, Strait Guy/Gay Guy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-20
Updated: 2016-08-20
Packaged: 2018-08-10 00:30:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,031
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7823212
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Knowmefirst/pseuds/Knowmefirst
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve has been friends with Eli since they been little kids, they grew up next to each other.</p>
            </blockquote>





	My Best Friend

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SFM2](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SFM2/gifts).



> I hope you like it! 
> 
> Note: Beta by Meatball42, thank you for the last minute beta. All other errors are mine.

**-1990-**

Steve has been friends with Eli since they were little kids. He remembers the day Eli moved to the house next door. Steve had been coming home from the park, soccer ball underneath his arm, when he noticed the big moving truck. He stopped at his driveway and looked over the fence, trying to see if the new neighbors had any kids his age, but after a while he only saw a woman, a man, and a kid that looked as old as his sister. He gave a sigh and went inside the house, telling his mom all about the new neighbors as he ate the snacks that his mom put before him.

It wasn’t long before Steve met Eli. The day after the new neighbors moved in, a ball had flown over the fence that separated their houses. Steve had been playing with his soldiers outside when the ball came flying out of nowhere, hitting his soldiers and making them fall to the floor. He flinched back from the ball as it impacted with his toys, but in the next second he hurried to pick them up. He got up and chased after the ball but stopped when someone asked him if he could have his ball back. Steve looked over and saw the boy, or more precisely the boy’s blue eyes. 

Steve shook himself from his stupor and ran towards the ball. He picked it up and walked towards the fence and threw it, but the ball hit the fence and fell back on Steve’s side. That was when he heard Eli laugh for the first time. Even back then, Eli’s laugh hadn’t been mocking; it was a joyous laugh full of happiness that made Steve laugh along with him. He bent down to pick up the ball and kick it, making it over the fence that time. He heard a thank you, and he was walking towards his toys when the ball came flying over the fence again. 

He looked over at the fence and saw Eli’s mischievous, laughing blue eyes through the slats of the fence. Steve kicked the ball over the fence again. He heard Eli’s laugh again and he waited. Just as he thought the game was over, the ball reappeared. Steve laughed as he picked up the ball and kicked it back. It wasn’t long before they were both laughing and kicking the ball back and forth over the fence. After a while they were both tired and Steve threw the ball over the fence one last time. He sat down next to fence and heard the kid doing the same. After a few minutes of catching his breath, he spoke. 

“What’s your name?” Steve asked, pulling up stems of grass as he sat there waiting.

“Eli. What’s yours?” Eli asked in return.

“I’m Steve.” 

Steve didn’t know how long they sat there talking. They learned that they were both eight-year-olds, with Steve being two months older than Eli. They talked about Eli’s move and where he used to live before. Eli told him that he was sad about leaving his friends. He nodded in understanding even if Eli couldn’t see him, as he knew how hard it could be going to a new school. That was when he fully turned to Eli and told him they could be friends and Eli would know someone when he went to his new school. Before long they heard their moms calling them, and before Eli left Steve said:

“You want to play tomorrow?” Steve move closer and peered through the fence. His green eyes encountered blue ones.“At what time?”

Eli stood quietly for a minute, then said, “How about 1pm?” 

“Okay.” 

With a final goodbye, they went inside their own houses. Steve saw his mom by the kitchen counter cutting some vegetables. 

“New friend?” 

Steve smiled to his mom. “Yes, his name is Eli.”

He told his mom all about his new friend and everything he learned about him as he watched her cook dinner. 

 

**-2000-**

Steve stood up with the rest of the senior class as they celebrated finally being done with High School. He looked back at Eli and gave him thumbs up, making Eli smile.   
He turned back to hear the final words of the principal as he presented the class of 2000. With that done they were free to go and find their parents, but he knew that his parents were with Eli’s so he moved towards Eli to pick him up and swing him around. 

“We did it, Eli!” 

Eli laughed and then told Steve to put him down, which Steve did after a final twirl. They walked through the crowd to their parents who hugged them and congratulated them and joked that they never thought Steve and Eli would make it. They decided to go to dinner at a nearby restaurant to continue their celebration.

It wasn’t long before their families were talking about where Steve and Eli were going next. It wasn’t like the new graduates hadn’t talked about it all through high school, but now that they were here, Steve realized this could be the last time he got to see Eli and spend time with him. 

He pushed his shoulder against Eli, making the other look over at him. Since the first time they met, they both had changed so much. While Steve grew taller and became a bit muscular because of sports, Eli became the opposite. It wasn’t that Eli was short, he was taller than many, but next to Steve he was short. He didn’t know he’d been staring at Eli until Eli’s voice brought him out of his musing. 

“What’s up?” Eli asked. 

Steve blinked and smiled at Eli, “Nothing much, only that I was thinking this could be the last time we see each other.” 

That made Eli laugh, a laugh that throughout ten years had never changed- it had only gotten more beautiful. If someone could read Steve’s thoughts they would think that he had a big crush on his best friend, and to a point they were right. He knew that if there was a man he could fall in love it would be his best friend. They had always been there for each other. When he broke his arm at the age of twelve while trying to do a stunt, Eli was there to hold his hand as he almost cried because of the pain. When Eli’s parents were in a car accident Steve was with Eli in the waiting room holding him as they waited for news.

“You’re crazy, Steve. You’re my best friend. We will always see each other.” Eli bumped his shoulder against Steve’s. “Remember, I will be your best man and you will be mine.” 

Steve only smile, but the thought of Eli marrying someone made him feel weird. However, before he could answer him back with a well-placed quip, they were interrupted by their parents and before long it was time to say good night. 

 

**-2010-**

Steve let himself lean back with a sigh and pushed aside the folder of his latest client. He had just had another meeting with Mrs. Jefferson, her soon to be ex-husband, and his lawyer. But as of yet, they couldn’t come to a settlement that both liked, so for the moment they were still married; something that the petite lady sitting next to Mr. Jefferson wasn’t too happy about, by the pinch to her eyes and mouth. What Steve needed was an early lunch. He picked up his phone and let his receptionist know that he was heading off to lunch and if she wished she could do the same. 

He picked up his keys and with a wave to his receptionist he left the office. He was about to walk towards his car, but at the last minute decided to walk to his favorite sandwich place. The day was beautiful and the sun was shining for the first time in a week after days of rain. There was a gentle breeze flowing through the tall buildings, but it wasn’t enough to make Steve return to his office and get his coat. Hopefully it would continue like that for the rest of his lunch.

At the restaurant, Steve waited in line behind a guy with a messenger bag. As he looked a bit more, the man he had thought was a college or university student was actually some kind of doctor, judging by the scrubs he’d missed at first beneath the man’s coat. Steve’s phone vibrated, and he smiled when he pulled it out and saw that it was a text from his mom, inviting him for dinner on Sunday.

That single text brought memories floating to the front of his mind, of Sunday dinners while growing up, and many with his best friend Eli sitting next to him. Now that he thought of Eli, he missed him; it had been ten years since the last time they spoke. Eli had gone to veterinary school while Steve had gone to law. They had tried to continue communication, but as school and social life started pulling them apart it had become harder than they had ever expected, until one day the text and calls just stopped. 

Now thinking of Eli, he wondered what the other was doing. Without thinking about it too much, he opened his phone sent a text to Eli. At the same moment that his phone sent the message, the guy in front of him checked his phone. Steve laughed when he thought that it would be funny if this guy was actually Eli, and all this time he had been standing in front of him. He shook his head and moved when the line finally moved again and it was the guy in front of him turn to order. 

However, in the next minute he stopped smiling when he heard that voice. No matter how many years passed, Steve would know that voice anywhere. That was Eli. He wanted to tap Eli on the shoulder and ask him how he was, but before he could do anything Eli was moving out of the line and it was Steve’s turn. The girl on the register looked bored, but she was fast to take his order and before long Steve was waiting to pick up his lunch. He kept an eye on Eli as he picked up his lunch and sat at an empty table. Steve quickly picked up his lunch as well, and quietly moved towards Eli’s table until he was standing in front of it. 

“May I sit here? Everywhere else is taken,” he said. 

He wanted to close his eyes, of everything he could have said to Eli, he had to ask the dumbest question ever, real smooth Steve, real smooth. But when those blue eyes looked up, he could see the exact moment that recognition took over. He smiled down at Eli, who after a moment smiled and got up pull him into a hug. 

“I can’t believe it! Steve!” Eli exclaimed. 

“Eli.” If it came out more tenderly than he wanted, he wouldn’t admit it. 

Steve pulled Eli closer to his body and without knowing he was doing it, he inhaled Eli’s smell. Cinnamon, always cinnamon. 

“Sit,” Eli said as he pulled back. 

It wasn’t long before they were laughing at old memories and new ones, letting each other know what they had done while apart. Before they knew it an hour had passed and they both were standing up to leave. However, this time Steve didn’t want things to end here, just another memory until the next time they stumbled into each other again. Before Eli could take a step towards the door Steve grabbed Eli’s hand to stop him. Eli looked at Steve with a question in his eyes. 

“Want to go out tonight for a coffee?” Steve ask. 

Eli stood quietly for a few seconds, and then he smiled. “I would love to, Steve.” 

With a final squeeze of their hands they walked their separate ways, for now. Because tonight Steve had a date with his best friend.


End file.
